Close friends with his parents, Leslie serves as a godparent, along with Alfred Pennyworth, and close confidante to Bruce Wayne. In DCcontinuity, she went into exile for allowing the death of Stephanie Brown, a.k.a. Spoiler. After fan outrage about DC's misogynistic portrayal of women, however, this was mended so that Leslie simply helped to fake Stephanie's death and took her to Africa.

Fictional character biography

Leslie is portrayed as having been a close friend of Thomas Wayne. She took it upon herself to look after Wayne's son, Bruce, after the boy's parents were killed, often acting with the family butler, Alfred Pennyworth, as a parental figure and guardian, although other sources have her as a woman who comforted Bruce immediately after his parents' deaths. During that time, Leslie was concerned with Bruce's behavior as he grew increasingly antisocial. She was even more perturbed when she discovered that, in his adult years, Bruce spent his nights fighting the criminal elements of Gotham as the Batman.

Leslie disapproves of Bruce's vigilantism, and feels partly responsible for his transformation into Batman, fearing that somehow she failed him as a role model. Bruce has, though, admitted to feeling guilty for being unable to live up to her pacifist example. She also has been linked to Alfred romantically on more than one occasion.

Dr. Thompkins ran a clinic for criminals and drug addicts in Gotham City. While the majority of her patients were repeat offenders, she continued to do her job with great perseverance and determination. During the No Man's Land storyline, she ran the town's only medical clinic, operating under a strict 'No Violence' policy regardless of her patients's actions and intent. Even Killer Croc respected the rule and stayed out, despite his strong desire for revenge against Victor Zsasz.

War Games and War Crimes

Spoiler suffered serious injuries at the hands of the Black Mask during the War Gamescrossover, and was taken to Dr. Thompkins' clinic for treatment. Initially thinking Spoiler died of her injuries, Batman later discovered, during the War Crimes storyline, that Leslie deliberately treated her improperly, resulting in her death while hoping that it would teach Batman the lesson that his constant use of children as partners was only putting their lives in danger.

After liquidating her assets and giving them to Spoiler's daughter, she fled to Africa. Batman followed her and forced a confession, coldly informing her that he may not stop violence, but he had never thrown another body onto the pile in the hopes of making a statement. He left warning her that she was just another murderer in his database, and if she ever returned to the United States or practiced medicine again, he would have her brought to justice.

Recent events

Recently, a mysterious familiar figure has been stalking Tim Drake wearing Stephanie's Spoiler costume, which at one point Tim thought he imagined it to be Stephanie herself. It is later revealed that the stalker is indeed Stephanie, which led into question of whether Dr. Thompkin truly did neglect treatment for her. The details of Stephanie's return reveals on Robin #174,as Dr. Thompkins faked the death of the girl and switching the body with an overdose victim who had a similar body type.

Leslie herself meanwhile has made a recent, and rather unexpected appearance in the miniseries Gotham Underground, having appeared before an injured Nightwing, currently undercover, and offering him aid. It was later revealed that Leslie was a hallucination and it was the Riddler who had saved Nightwing.

The Robin/Spoiler one-shot special from 2008 showed both Leslie and Stephanie alive and in exile, protecting a village somewhere in Africa.